

This is the tale of the teenager who became besotted with Trader Joe’s prepared, packaged Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad, and the mom who was going broke buying them for her, at $4 a pop.
It’s a simple story, involving a woman fully aware that of all the addictions in the world, a love of kale salad was, shall we admit, the best possible one to have. Ever.
In fact, rather than calling it an addiction, the mom might better term it a good eating habit, and leave it at that.
But the wallet doesn’t lie, and $12 a week in packaged kale salads was just not, uh, cutting it (pause for a polite laugh).
Not to mention the plastics involved in the individual packaging, and the special trip to TJ’s, etc. And the fact that the teenager, who knows what she likes, doesn’t really like the lemon dressing that comes packaged with the salad, so discards it like so much useless detritus.
So the mom, a kale lover herself and handy with a knife, set out to not only duplicate the TJ’s salad, but while she was at it, better it. She chiffonaded Tuscan kale, not only because she likes saying the word chiffonade, but because it helps to tenderize kale to cut the pieces smaller. She chiffonaded (again!) fresh mint and basil to give the salad a fragrance and a lift, she tossed in Craisins for a sweet touch, carrot shreds for color, and garbanzos and edamame for protein and texture. And she dressed it simply, in lemon juice and olive oil, with a pinch o’ this and that to bring it all together.
Voila, my darling teenager. Your better, cheaper, prettier, more ecologically sound salad awaits!
Recipe: Kale, Cranberry, Chickpea, Edamame Salad (aka Better than Trader Joe’s Kale Salad)
Summary: Refreshing raw kale salad sweetened with cranberries, enlivened with basil and mint, and nutritionally amped up with edamame and chickpeas, for a super side or entree salad. This version is even better than the Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad!
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced or crushed
- 3/4 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Salad
- 4 cups finely chopped Tuscan kale, ribs removed (this is about 4 ounces of kale)
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries, such as Craisins, soaked in boiling water to hydrate
- 1 cup edamame beans, cooked and cooled
- Mint
- Basil
- A few carrot shreds (if you have them, for color)
- Garnish: Cherry Tomatoes
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a large salad bowl and whisk until combined.
- Into the bowl throw the kale (which you have cut into a chiffonade size), chickpeas, cranberries and edamame. Mince a handful of mint and a handful of basil leaves and toss them in, along with some carrot shreds, if available.
- Toss salad well to combine, and garnish with cherry tomatoes.
- Serves 6 as a side salad, or 2-3 as a main dish for kooky kale-lovers.
Quick notes
Nuts: The TJ’s salad has slivered almonds in it, as well. I didn’t put any in because this salad holds up well in the refrigerator as leftovers (dressed), and I didn’t want the nuts to become soggy. If you like them, feel free to sprinkle it with slivered almonds. If you don’t like them, don’t. See? These decisions are simple!
Preparation time: 15 minutes (chopping)
Cooking time: 5 minutes (to hydrate the cranberries)
Diet type: Vegetarian
Number of servings (yield): 6 as a side salad, 2-3 as a main dish salad
Culinary tradition: USA (General)
My rating
You are such a nice mom. I think this looks great and you are right, “better, cheaper, prettier, more ecologically sound.”
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. Do you have any nutrition stats on this recipe?
I just discovered that kale salad at Trader Joes and also fell in love! On the first date! I was calculating whether it made budget sense to have it every day for lunch. Eating that much kale has to save in health spending right? But I’m thrilled you’ve come up with this, and I think I have the stuff to make it now. Yum.
Kelley,
Go for it! Let me know how you like it.
SO good! I added toasted cashews, avocado and a little parm to finish. It was so good I couldn’t eat as much as I wanted for dinner so I decided it would be the perfect breakfast, and it was. (Cashews held up fine.) I have never opted for a breakfast salad before! Oh, and I left out the chick peas because I’m not a fan. I’m making it again tonight!
Kelly,
You ROCK! Salad for breakfast! I bow to your healthy choice.
[…] Image Source: Shockingly Delicious […]
i been looking forthis recipe
Candy,
Hope you try it!
Looks like you’re fully ready for National Kale Day coming up
Mike,
You know it!
LOL! Love it.
It’s great to have a dressed salad that will hold for awhile in the fridge. So pretty too.
Susan,
You’re right. This one will still be good for several days.
Love the story and the salad. Like many parents, I can well imagine this happening in my house and congratulate you on doing what we all should – make it better at home!
Thanks Laura!
I’m still new to shopping at Trader Joe’s as I finally have one close to me. Never heard of this salad but very intrigued! I recently tried edamame for the first time recently, and now I want to try it in this salad.
Carla,
It’s a very good salad from TJ’s. I just think mine is even better (she said ever so humbly).
This looks fabulous. I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Food Hunter! Hope you do!
I love this tale, and it’s happy ending – for all of us! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Kelly. This salad is right up your alley.
The nearest Trader Joes is 40 minutes away from us, so I don’t get there very often. Now I can try this salad at home. It is going to help me bust through my lunch doldrums. It is perfect in everyway.
Thank you Christie! My daughter adores this one.
Hi Dorothy
Thanks for posting this. I can’t wait to give it a try. It seemed as though you mentioned some other recipes you have put together, would you mind sharing the website with us?
thanks again
Julio,
Yes, try it! Uh….I just re-read the post and I don’t see me mentioning other specific recipes. Of course, there are LOTS of kale salad recipes on ShockD, if that’s what you mean. Otherwise, tell me more about what you are seeking…
[…] Source: Shockingly Delicious […]
What is dried Italian herb blend?
Vee,
Lots of people have an Italian herb blend on their spice shelf (instead of buying the individual bottles of oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram, garlic, rosemary). Feel free to put in a coupla pinches of whatever works for you!
[…] Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale Salad […]
[…] now-a-days). Trendy or not, this was tasty enough that we made it twice this week. The recipe is here, and a picture of how it turned out is below. Healthy isn’t always […]
This salad was an early Christmas present. I ate it for lunch today and it was extremely delicious. I enjoyed the Trader Joe’s salad when I first had it last week but your recipe blows it out the water. Thank you for sharing.
Justin,
Thanks! That is an awesome compliment!
is the best salad ever. Happy Thanksgiving
Pat,
How fantastic of you to say that!
I love love love it, too!
I’ve been making my own Kale and Edamame Bistro salad at home, too. Plus the Super Spinach salad. Trader Joe’s has some great ideas for salads— I’m going to make my own version of the Kale Waldorf salad next!
Mary,
Yeah, once you get the idea, you can tweak up any kind of commercially made salad to suit yourself!
[...] salad in the pinterest (yes… “the”… deal with it). It’s called the Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale Salad & it is TASTAY!!! I ate it for lunch almost everyday this week & got my best work [...]
[...] Kale, Cranberry, Chickpea, and Edamame Salad Adapted From: Shockingly Delicious [...]
Brilliant! Your daughter must be over the moon, now she can have it every day. Or, as I’m a little late to the party, maybe she’s moved on to another “good eating habit”? This recipe sounds great just as it is, and I’m off to buy kale. I admit to being one of those people who never knew what to do with kale, and you may have solved that crisis! Thanks for this lovely story and recipe.
Meloday,
I have a ton of kale salads and other dishes with kale in them on the site, so put kale in the search box and enjoy!
I made this salad last night and it came out great! I was unable to find the basil and mint while I was shopping, but made everything else as listed. My only comment is that I am not so sure it was all that much less expensive than buying the pre-made salad at TJoes. Although you have enough ingredients to make this twice, it’s still pricey to make. That won’t stop me though!! Delicious
Denise,
So glad you liked it!
I take your point on cost of ingredients, but I do think the TJs salad is small, and for $4 a pop, pricy. My daughter was wanting 3 of them a week, and so that is about $12 a week in packaged salads. My recipe serves 2-3 as a main-dish salad, and for $12, I can probably make at least 2, and probably more like 3 of this recipe, which would serve up to 6-9, depending on appetites. And depending on what region of the country you are in, and how cheap stuff like canned chickpeas and kale are in your area, you might be able to make even more. It’s all relative, right?
[...] I do love good veggie food. This is not a veggie blog by any stretch of the imagination, but this Kale and Edamame Salad is [...]
[...] Slaw meets Kale Bistro Salad (depending on the taste, recipe to come) hybrid of these two recipes: http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/better-than-trader-joes-kale-and-edamame-bistro-salad/ [...]
[...] first one is Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Salad. I made it for lunch one day and ate it along with a handful of roasted almonds and was in love. [...]
I found this recipe from FitSugar. Needless to say I made this salad immediately and it is delicious. I’m excited to see how it tastes tomorrow after it’s been marinating in the lemon dressing.
Amanda,
So glad! I love this one!
I found your recipe because I picked one of TJ’s salads up for lunch on my way into work today. It sounded delicious. Looked healthy enough. But as I was shaking it to spread the dressing around, I saw it’s actually 500 calories when you add the dressing and 300 (!!!) of those are from fat. So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw that you use a vinaigrette to dress your version. I can’t wait to try your the recipe!
Yep, this is lunch today. I don’t have any endamame but I do have everything else. What a great story. I wish someone hadn’t told me that kale was a super food; now I get to feel noble about loving it!
I made this and added fresh blueberries, chopped red onion, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, and sliced cashews
Tanye,
Your additions sound great!
[...] discovered this recipe online and decided to tweak it [like I always tend to do]. Cranberries. Chickpeas. Edamame. Kale. [...]
I just made this tonight and it was delicious.
I added some finely diced red onion and also sprinkled feta cheese on top.
Great salad.
Jeanette,
Love your additions! Glad you enjoyed it!
[...] using lean turkey as the protein source. Go beyond a standard bistro salad and make yourself this mix of kale, cranberry, chickpea, and edamame. Full of essential nutrients and stocked with protein, you won’t even miss the meat. If the [...]
this salad has me giddy! I adore the crap outta kale and made into a salad = good. always good.
thank you for sharing with Fresh Foods Wednesday – hope to see you back next week!
p.s. if you don’t mind linking back to us in your post, that would be wonderful darling…xo!
Thank you couldn’t remember ingredients of original and this post was so helpful. Just made this – added TJ’s shaved dry toasted almonds and a very small amount of minced shallots which really took it up a notch. Never would have thought of the mint on my own. Thanks much.
[...] Are you a fan of eggs? Check out Fit Bottomed Girls’ piece on 5 Fun Ways To Eat Egg Whites. Or are you a fan of kale? Try Shockingly Delicious’s Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad. [...]
Made this twice and it’s just amazing! Hubby even devours it and asked to make it again. Thanks for sharing!
Ashlea,
Twice, huh? That sounds like me!
Made this for dinner – did not have almonds but tossed in some pignoli nuts for crunch. Loved it – thanks!!
Lisa,
I’m a big fan of toasted pine nuts! Great idea.
[...] Better Than Trader Joe’s Kale and Edamame Bistro Salad – Shockingly Delicious [...]
Great story, great recipe, great photo. Bravo to you! I like your flexibility–carrot shreds if you have them, slivered almonds if you want. If I don’t care about duplicating Trader Joe’s, do you think it would still be good with romaine added (since it’s cheaper than kale)?
Faye,
I absolutely think you can sub crisp romaine if you have it! Go for it.
Sounds delicious., Love the combination of flavors!
Yummy!
[...] Kale, cranberry, chickpea, edamame salad (aka Better than Trader Joe’s Kale Salad) [...]
Love the story behind this (totally) better than Trader Joe’s salad
Thank you, Priscilla!
Kale-i-cious!
I just saw this on RecipeNewZ. Wonderful salad. I love Trader Joe’s, and if you say it’s even better, then it’s a must try :-). Thanks for sharing!